Cheryl Shops

Back in the very early 2000s, my dear friend HG moved to Williamsburg, into a huge loft apartment that she shared with several roommates, a mixture of artists, musicians, filmmakers, etc. It was like something out of a movie: The building had a manually-operated freight elevator, the apartment's one heater was a monstrous thing mounted in the kitchen, and if you climbed out of the skylight in HG's bedroom, you ended up on the roof, with the most magical view of Manhattan. The apartment was not without its drawbacks—the aforementioned heat situation (or lack thereof), neighborhood prostitutes conducting business in the building's stairwell, the fact that it was not technically zoned for residential use—but I'm glad I got to experience it. HG moved to the East Village, then to London, so I don't go to Williamsburg nearly as much as I used to; the funny thing is, every time I go there now, I'm astonished by how much the neighborhood has changed over the years. I remember when the only cool place to go was Sea Thai; Williamsburg definitely went through a period of trust-funded-hipsterdom but has now settled into a mix of young families, creative professionals, and, yes, twentysomethings who look like they belong on Girls. It's like a more stylish version of my own Brooklyn neighborhood, Boerum Hill.

Fabulous apartments and glamorous residents aside, Williamsburg is an excellent place to shop, from the pioneering housewares boutique The Future Perfect to one of my favorite jewelry boutiques in the city, Catbird, and the excellent Jumelle (where, okay, I can only afford to shop the sales). And since no cool neighborhood is complete without a fancy lingerie shop, it's also home to Brooklyn Fox, which, lucky for you, has recently launched e-commerce. The actual store, which is on the small side (but charmingly so) is stocked to the gills with everything from pretty bras from Chantelle and Aubade to sexier stuff from hard-to-find labels like Maison Close and Lascivious. In other words, it's not the place to go for molded-cup nude bras, which is just fine by me. What Brooklyn Fox is perfect for is "treat yourself" lingerie. And just in case you need help deciding what to treat yourself to, owner Alexis  Isadora picked out a few goodies for us, just in time for Valentine's Day. The Mimi Holiday Dacquoise Slip is a pretty alternative to the flannel pajamas you've been sleeping in; I love the futuristic look of this I.D. Sarrieri bra and matching garter brief; and I think I'd feel like Mrs. Robinson (in a good way!) in Gossard's leopard-print plunge bra and matching retro brief. Find it all in store at 132 N. 5th Street, or shop anytime at Brooklynfoxlingerie.com.

Buy it: Digby & Iona Lusca ring
When I first moved to NYC 10 years ago, Williamsburg was a somewhat sketchy neighborhood in its early gentrification period; my dear friend HG lived there in loft apartment that was easily the size of a high school gymnasium, and it was around the corner from the infamous bar Cokie's. Now, whenever I go to Williamsburg, I marvel at all the people, restaurants, high-rise condos, and, yes, the stores. I spent Saturday afternoon shopping in the 'burg with my friend MK, a seasoned Williamsburg resident, and to celebrate the two-days-early arrival of our respective paychecks, she took me to some of her regular haunts. A great thing about shopping in the outer boroughs, where rents are more affordable than in Manhattan, is that stores can be more selective and specialized with their merchandise, without charging an arm and a leg for it. One of my favorite shops we hit was Catbird, a tiny jewel box of a store, offering quirky jewelry and home accessories like candles. The shop has an antiquey feel, with the jewelry housed in curio-type cabinets along the walls. I should mention that they were having a sale when I was there; select items were 40% off. True to my nature, I fell in love with an item that wasn't on sale: this Lusca ring by Brooklyn-based jeweler Digby & Iona (Catbird has a similar, albeit smaller, style, the Seppie ring, on their website). The Lusca is an octopus with a hammered, vintage look; it's oversized, and its tentacles extend out over your other fingers. It's definitely a statement piece, but it doesn't scream cocktail ring--it's more like you found it in the bottom of a trunk or in your great-grandmother's jewelry box. At $280, it's not necessarily a bargain, but considering its size and that it comes in sterling silver (or matte vermeil), I think it's worth a little splurge. Unique jewelry like this doesn't go out of style, and considering its unusual look, it could definitely become a signature piece. Hopefully it will still be there by the time my next paycheck arrives.